The Little Christmas Tree
by Merula-Xati
Summary: A new twist on the holiday classic...


The Little Christmas Tree

Once upon a time, in a land of ice and snow, there was an enormous forest filled with Christmas trees. There were firs, pines, and spruces, tall and stately trees, short and

bushy trees all in every shade of green. This was the Christmas Forest, where the best, most beautiful Christmas trees could be found each and every December. And every year

people would come, from tiny villages and big cities all over the world, to find a Christmas Tree.

The tall and stately trees went first, with their long and graceful branches, fit to grace the palace of a king. Next to be chosen were the big trees, with straight trunks and sturdy

branches, ready to bear the heaviest of ornaments with then the short and bushy trees would go, perfect for houses, followed by the skinny trees, and tiny trees for cottages and

bungalows. One by one all the trees would be chosen to be someone's Christmas Tree.

All the trees that is except for one. Poor little Rudi was not big and grand nor did he have strong and sturdy branches. His trunk was a little crooked, his branches stuck out

too much in some places, but not enough in others. He wasn't the picture perfect sort of tree people wanted to bring home with them, in fact, he even leaned a little to one side.

But more than _anything_ in the world, Rudi wanted someone to bring him home to be their Christmas Tree.

Rudi would eagerly await December every year, hoping that this would be the year he would be chosen .But every year when people came to the Christmas Forest to pick their

trees, poor little Rudi was passed by. Rudi would shake all the snow off his branches, and try to straighten his crooked trunk and bristle his uneven branches, silently pleading "Oh,

please,_please_, pick me!" But no one ever did.

Even if someone did stop to give Rudi a second glance they would soon walk away. He was too small, too crooked, his branches were too uneven, and little Rudi was left by

himself again. The other trees all laughed at Rudi when he tried so hard to look like a proper Christmas Tree. They proudly spread their strong branches and shook off the snow

onto Rudi. "Who on earth would want such a scrawny tree?" asked a lush blue spruce. "He's a disgrace," a Douglas fir chimed in. "Not a Christmas tree at all" the trees agreed.

Poor Rudi just huddled closer to the ground and tried not to lean over so much.

Christmases came and went and still Rudi hadn't found a home. Rudi became very disheartened, "What if _no one_ ever wants me?" he wondered. Then one cold and wet

December a man came to the Christmas Forest with a sharp, shiny axe and a big red sleigh. He wandered around the forest chopping down trees and put them in his sleigh. It was

almost dark by the time he got to the corner of the forest where Rudi lived. Without much hope, Rudi shook off the snow, straightening his crooked trunk, and bristled his uneven

branches trying his best to look like a proper Christmas tree. Much to Rudi's surprise the man began chopping at his trunk. Rudi was overwhelmed with excitement. Finally he would

get to be a Christmas Tree!

The man put Rudi in his sleigh and drove off to a small town where he put up a sign that said 'Fresh Christmas Trees For Sale'. Rudi lay there trembling with excitement, one

step closer to becoming someone's tree. Lots of people came by, pointing at all the beautiful trees, many stopping to buy one from the man with the sleigh. But as the day wore on

and most of the trees disappeared, no one looked twice at little Rudi. Poor Rudi sat there as the snow started to fall, watching all the other trees go home with happy families

wishing that someone would bring _him_ home. Rudi was so lost in thoughts of yet another Christmas spent all alone that he did't notice the young man who came to look at him. All

of a sudden Rudi felt himself being lifted in the air as the young man carried him away. At last,Rudi thought joyously, someone wants _me_! But instead of carrying Rudi to his house

the young man brought him to a little workshop and laid him on a table. "What a nice little tree",said the young man as Rudi's branches perked up in hope. "But not big enough to

be a Christmas tree" he mused. Rudi's heart broke into a hundred million pieces. If trees could cry, Rudi might have flooded the town. All Rudi had ever wanted was to be a

Christmas Tree and stand proudly with beautiful decorations hanging from his branches, and presents for the children nestled safely by his trunk. And now he would _never_ be a

Christmas Tree.

Rudi was so lost in his heartbreak that he didn't notice as the young man got to work, carefully removing the uneven branches and laying them aside before he began to cut

and carve the crooked trunk. In fact, Rudi was so upset he did'y notice anything until he heard the young man say "There! Its perfect" What's perfect thought Rudi moodily? How

can anything be perfect when I'm not a Christmas Tree? The young man gently placed Rudi in a box and wrapped it in pretty paper. Then he carried the box through the streets of

town to a little house with candles in the window and a bright and beautiful Christmas Tree. The young man placed the box under the tree and tiptoed away. The next thing Rudi

knew someone was opening the box he'd been put in. "Oh, he's _wonderful_ !" cried a young girl as she picked Rudi up, and cradled him in her arms. As the delighted little girl spun in

a circle Rudi caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror. No longer was he a small, and crooked tree with uneven branches, but a beautiful wooden toy! Rudi's heart nearly burst with

joy, because this was even better than being someone's Christmas Tree! He was someone's Christmas_ Toy!!!_

That Christmas was the best Christmas of Rudi's life. And every Christmas after that when his little girl spun him in circles as she danced around the Christmas Tree Rudi knew that

_nothing_ in the whole wide world could be better than this.

_The End. _


End file.
